About Laminate Flooring

You want the look of hardwood but don’t have the budget. Get ready for a great solution. Laminate flooring is durable, scratch, stain and fade resistant, easy to clean, hypoallergenic and perfect for households with pets and children and costs less than solid hardwood, every time. There are all kinds of laminates, not only with different looks but different plank widths and colors that are built to withstand different degrees of traffic. Laminates can resemble stone or ceramic tile but are best known as substitutes for wood floors. Best of all, the innovations in laminate keep on coming; new and better locking systems, embossing, new finishes and more.

What is Laminate Flooring?

A laminate floor is a high-tech floor made by fusing together several layers of materials into one board. The core layer or the center of the laminate floorboard is almost always made of high density fiberboard, but sometimes medium density fiberboard. This core, which supports the weight and stress of foot traffic, will affect how sturdy and stable your floor will be. Strength and stability is further ensured by the laminate’s bottom stabilizing layer. A decorative layer is fused on top of the core. The decorative layer is actually a picture of the floor that is printed on a type of “living paper”. A transparent wear layer is applied over the décor layer and is then treated with one or more coats of an aluminum oxide finish. This is what makes for the incredible wear resistance against scratches, burns, dents and stains that laminates are so famous for. Then there’s the locking system. It’s the system or the way the laminate boards will click together to form your floor. It’s the hallmark of laminate flooring to come with glue-free, click joints or locking systems that are easy to assemble. That’s why installing laminate floors has become something many people can do themselves. You virtually never need to glue a laminate floor to a subfloor nor build a level subfloor first like you would have to do with a solid hardwood installation.

Check Out These Resources

Before you make any purchasing decision that will last as long as a floor can, it makes sense to learn as much as you can about the products you are considering buying. Whether it’s information on the manufacturing process or information about alternatives to what you’re considering, it’s always a smart decision to be a smart consumer.

Is Laminate Right For Me? – Determine whether or not laminate is the best choice for your project

Types – Learn about the different types of laminate

Buying Guide – Learn how to make an informed laminate flooring purchase decision

Cleaning & Care – Find out how easy it is to care for a laminate floor

FAQs – Find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about laminate flooring

Related posts:

1. How Laminate Flooring is Made
2. Laminate Flooring Types
3. Laminate Flooring History